Pen Pals
by systematic-alchemy
Summary: Things are better and worse for criminals of the Ark, but mostly worse. Three strangers get close while locked up, and don't meet until they reach the ground.
1. Chapter 1

When the door slammed behind her, Clarke felt it in every bone. Solitary. Just a number now. 319. Metal-matrix composite in a twelve by twelve cube was her home now. A toilet, sink, cot, and a skylight. At least there's a view. There was nothing else to do though.

Compared to the rest of the Ark, this place lacked color. Blue metal and off white cotton and rubber didn't feel like enough. The orchids she'd been able to keep in her room before would be returned to the Agro department. All of her carefully made art supplies would be given to other people.

Since they were on the side with the sun, the temperature reached an uncomfortable high. This would never be an issue, except the insulation and by extension the thermostat weren't doing their jobs anymore. Her father said that they'd been lucky to have lasted this long. The entire Ark was going to either fry or freeze depending on what side of the Earth they were on when the system failed completely.

The official word on the temperature abnormalities told the population that it was the next step in returning to earth. A lie that seemed to work.

Clarke lay down on the cot and stared out her skylight at Earth. The emerald green and sapphire blue ball hung there as if waiting for her children to come home.

* * *

The fire racing through her body contracted all her muscles at once. Her teeth clenched around the rubber mouth guard, agonizing pain radiating through her jaw. Infinity reaching out farther than Clarke had ever imagined before.

When the pain subsided down to levels she could think around, the interrogator, who sounded like her dad, or maybe Wells, asked her, "Are you sorry for your crime?" Why would they want her to apologize for trying to save everyone? It didn't make any sense.

"I - didn't - do any-thing - wrong." Her head lulled and her eyes couldn't focus. "Dad? - Wells? - Help m-"

* * *

When Clarke regained consciousness, or had she? She couldn't feel anything, see anything, hear anything. There was nothing to smell or taste. Nothing existed except her thoughts.

'What happened to my body?'

'I know I had one.'

'Where'd it go?'

'Where's the Ark? My cell? People?'

'I know they were all here.'

'Where is here?'

'Is there a here?'

'There's no here or there or anywhere. I do not like them Sam I Am.'

'Who's Sam?'

'My name is Clarke Griffin. I'll be seventeen in two months. My dad, my dad died trying to save everyone. I got locked up because I tried to finish what he started. This is a trick of lock up. Part of their reconditioning program. It's sd. Has to be, right?'

'Right?'

'Right?'

'I'm a person. And I live in space. This is just part of that.'

'Right?'

'Why are they doing this to me? I didn't do anything wrong.'

'I didn't do anything wrong.'

'I didn't do anything wrong.'

'I didn't do anything wrong.'

'I didn't do anything wrong.'

'I didn't do anything wrong.'

'I didn't do anything wrong.'

Explosions of light, sound, touch, taste, and smell overwhelmed Clarke and sent her into a panic.

"Are you sorry for your crime?" So loud and the light screamed at her eyes blinding her more surely than when she couldn't see anything.

"I didn't do anything wrong."

Thrown back in her cell, Clarke crumbled at the high pitched tone pumped through speakers she hadn't even noticed before and the blinding flashes of light pulsating at every angle.

* * *

The exposure to the high decibel levels every day for a week resulted in tinnitus. She'd hoped it would be temporary but when the echo of the tone didn't fade after a month, Clarke knew the damage was permanent. And yet she still tried popping the sound out of her ears through stretching her jaw.

She'd been doing that for an hour when her daily food got delivered through the slot in her door. Not in the mood to eat, she dropped the tray on her desk. The impact threw the food off the tray, along with a liner she'd always assumed to be attached. Underneath was a stripped down plastab with the message, "Hello? Is there anybody in there?" on it.

Looking around in suspicion, Clarke typed back, "Just nod if you can hear me."

After a long pause a new message showed up. "Nodding like a madman here! Got another 1!"

"Another?"

"Solo there's another that's found my bottled message, bt it might be a bit before they log. plastabs might not be the best bt they beat being alone all by yourself."

"Agreed. I have no idea how long I've even been here." The relief of having a conversation flooded Clarke to the point of tears.

"How many techniques have they used on u?"

"4. Electrocution, sd, and tone + lite. I guess 5 cause isolation. U?"

"U've been here less thn a month. Me? Electro, sd, tone, lite, temps, 0 sleep, suspens, overwrk, humil, near death, iso +. I've been here 2 yrs, they've given up on me. I float when I hit age. Fertilizer meanwhile."

Clarke looked at the methods and cringed. She hadn't dealt with extreme temperatures, sleep deprivation, stress suspensions, being worked to exhaustion, humiliation, or whatever near death meant. There were also the other unnamed methods to chill her. Could she survive all that? "Near death?"

"They kil sec thn bring u bck. - fun."

"How'd u get through it?"

"no way to stop be criminal."

"y?"

"I live."

"I tried 2 lie, but they knew."

"I hear they can."

A different color text showed up on the screen. "Caz I told u. We tell noob rulez."

"Rules?"

"rulez we honor 2 keep plastabs and not amped."

Amputation horrified Clarke. "Okay, what do I have 2 do?"

"1 no names, 2 nothing else 2 identify like r crimes or fam jobs, 3 line toilet with plastab when not using and finally most important #4 fuck guard whenever he wants. we call him Tallowcatch or Tal."

The first two were easy enough, but the third confused her. "Fuck the guard?"

"Yeah, suck his dick, or let him put it in you."

"?"

"sex, you know the way humans used to reproduce? some of the guards can do that for some reason. say it feels good."

"I don't get it, but I'll do whatever at this point."

The first person typed again. "u may like it when inhibitor wears off."

The second person added, "the shot u get every year kill desire 4 sex."

"Oh." She wanted to say that her mother lied and said those were yearly immune booster shots, but that might give away her identity. "if we can't tell each other r names, what do we call each other?"

"I'm Twist!" the second one typed.

"Hades!" the first informed. "u?"

"Vigri?" Clarke asked.

"Welcome 2 solo ship, Vigri."

"what do we talk about?"

"tell stories, send each other stik gifs, n nonsense." Hades also sent a little animated stick figure dancing. "Twist finds gross stff entertaining. b warned."

"And Hades is snooty wank." Twist said with an animated face sticking its nose in the air, and another one laughing.

"Get floated, Twist."

"Twist? How long have u been here?"

"1 yr i think."

"How'd u make it this far?"

"Masochism + not giving a fuck."

"Being a dalcop," Hades said, but Clarke ignored.

A quick look up of the word masochism and she got it. Twist enjoyed pain. "I need to learn to be like that."

"I teach u." Twist sent a pair of hands rubbing together.

"And with that I nap," Hades said. "Ltr dipshits."

"Ltr, tumorwad!"

"u could slip in something comfy. Like airtight box. Rt Twist?"

"Only if your bits r 1 wall so I can get u off while die!"

"it date thn."

What did Twist mean by bits and what the hell did they mean by 'get you off?' Clarke shook her head in confusion again.

"Vigri, u want 2 learn 2 enjoy pain? Or u rather hav chance 2 get out?"

"I doubt they'll let me out even if I do cave. Too dangerous."

"Intriguing, but say no more. Let's start, ok gorgeous?"

"Consider me ur grasshopper."

"A Kung Fu fan? remember lesson we learn from Lee-You."

"Little pieces that seem worthless to others can still be meaningful and putting them together can end up beautiful and overcome death?"

"Exact. Pain seems bad and has -$0 to most ppl. But u rather sd or pain?"

Clarke considered her options before answering. "Pain. I know I'm alive."

"Great. u might have future, bellibone!"


	2. Chapter 2

When Clarke woke up on the drop ship, she knew the Ark was desperate for a way to survive. But that thought would wait for later. "Twist? Hades?"

"Vigri!" two voices shouted out, one male one female. The female screamed in excitement. "Hades here!"

"And Twist is still as twisted as ever!" The male voice followed.

From her seat, Clarke couldn't see either of them. Hades was blocked by the back of her seat while Twist was behind her and her seatback was too tall to turn and see. But in her efforts to turn she saw Wells sitting next to her with an expectant look on his face.

"Wells? What are you doing here?"

"I got arrested for treason. What was on that video anyway? The one your father made? They got me before I even watched it."

"Why would you bother? You turned us in."

"I didn't mean to." Wells sighed. "I'm sorry I got you and your dad arrested."

"They didn't arrest my dad, they executed him. They didn't even amp him as a warning. He got floated. Don't talk to me. Don't look at me. And if you want to stay healthy, don't even think about me. Got it?"

He looked close to tears, but he nodded and turned away.

Twist asked, "Something wrong, Vigri?"

"No, Twist, everything's fine."

A boy got his seatbelt off and floated to the middle while people laughed and shouted. He went feet over head till he was a floating plank in front of her. "I thought you were Clarke. The traitor determined to destroy the Ark. Never heard of a Vigri before."

"You're the idiot that destroyed two thermal panels on an illegal spacewalk."

"But it was fun."

Two more boys got their belts off and floated until they hit the atmosphere and crashed into a wall. She hoped they could wait the twenty minutes for them to get to the ground. That they were silent didn't bode well. "Let them be unconscious." Finn looked fine to her right.

The atmosphere in the ship went from excited to solemn as they waited for the parachutes to deploy. They were late, but they opened. However, the delay made for a rough landing that threw Finn around so he was no longer fine.

The lack of noise worried her. Someone mentioned the lack of machine hum, but with tinnitus she hadn't heard that hum in a year. No she was still trying to hear the boys that followed Finn out of their seats. As soon as she got out of her seat she found them but they were dead. This wasn't a good start.

Finn was groaning, so she went to check on him. "That's a broken arm. Let's check out the head wound."

After as thorough examination as she could manage, she determined he would have a headache but there was no concussion. "I'll set your arm as soon as I can, but I need to see what's going on downstairs. Stay here."

Downstairs showed no supplies at all. Not even a first aid kit. They'd decided the prisoners didn't matter at all didn't they? Everyone gathered close to the door, clambering for the chance to be the first on the ground. A man, young but still too old to be a prisoner, tried to calm them, and then Hades cried out. "Bellamy!"

"Octavia!" He gathered her in his arms and held her close.

Hades was Octavia Blake, one of the few second children ever born after the decision to reduce the population through birth control. And this had to be her brother. The eye patch told her what they took to punish him for not turning in his mother and sister. The name she chose made sense. Hades, Lord of the Underworld and she'd lived under the world of the Ark for most of her life. She didn't even need to guess why Twist called himself that. His dark humor and kinks singled him out as twisted.

A boy was staring down the crowd and kept them away from the reunited siblings. He was all angles, from his hair to his large but attractive nose to the cheekbones. By the looks of him, he could cut someone with just a glare. She got through the crowd and laughed when he recognized her. "Vigri!"

"Twist!" They hugged and turned to get a hug from Hades.

Octavia turned them to her brother. "Bellamy these two kept me going through the last year and two respectively. This is Vigri, and this is Twist."

"Clarke." She shook Bellamy's hand. "Only these two can call me Vigri."

"The patron saint of artists and against temptation, right?" Bellamy asked.

"Right."

"I'm Murphy," Twist said as he also shook Bellamy's hand.

"Nice to meet you, but I'm confused. O, I thought you were in solitary."

"We all were. I got plastabs to the other solos because that's how awesome I am." She kissed his cheek but Bellamy's scowl deepened.

"What did you have to do for that?"

"Nothing you and mom didn't do to get me food and clothes. You know what the guards are like, seeing as how you were almost one of them." She grabbed him again. "How'd you get on board? How'd you even know?"

"We'll talk about it later. Right now, let's make you famous. The first person on the ground in almost a hundred years."

"We can't open the door," Clarke said. "The air might be toxic."

"If the air's toxic then we're all dead anyway." And Bellamy pulled the lever.

The air smelled sweet as a gust of wind hit them. The sun shone bright and white as Octavia stepped outside. Her shout of delight when her feet touched down coincided with Twist taking Vigri's hand and leading the rush of delinquents out into the world. Clarke and Murphy grabbed up their Hades and ran around the ship where no one else went.


	3. Chapter 3

The three friends lay in the grass holding onto each other. It was their first nonthreatening contact since getting locked up and the weight of that constricted their chests.

"Clarke?" Bellamy said as he found them. "I think you're forgetting someone."

"Shit. Finn." She sat up still attached to the other two.

"What's going on?" Murphy asked.

"Finn, Spacewalker guy, his arm's broken. I need to set it." Clarke stood up and let Twist and Hades go reluctantly.

"Ah, your mother's chief of medical, right?" Twist asked.

"Yeah, and I trained under her my entire life." Vigri gathered things to use as a splint, wood and para-cord.

"What can we do to help?" Hades asked.

"I may need help getting him down from the upper level. And I need something sharp to cut this cord to usable lengths." Her arms were overflowing with the para-cord.

Bellamy held a knife out to her. "Like this?"

Twist took the knife while Hades kissed her brother's cheek again. "I missed you, Bell."

Octavia took half the load, and they went to take care of Finn. Clarke set his arm and made the splint, then O and Murphy got him to the lower level. When Clarke put her hands in her pockets as they ambled outside again, she found paper. It was a topographical map, something her father taught her how to use. She sat down and assessed their situation.

After a brief walk, she figured out they were damn screwed. They'd been dropped on the wrong mountain. She had to talk to Twist and Hades about this. Finn found her first though. "Hey princess, how's it going?"

"Better than the two kids that followed you out of their seats," she said as she walked past him.

Her best friends were hanging out with Bellamy goofing off by wrestling. They were like those old videos she saw as a kid of litters of puppies playing with each other. If she weren't so worried about food, she'd join them. "Guys, we've got a big problem."

The laughter died down. "What's up, princess?"

Octavia punched her brother in the chest. "You were never in the skybox so you don't know what it's like. They torture you. Especially solos, so if you call her one more condescending name we'll let you know first hand some of the shit they did to us."

"Sorry, O. So, Clarke, what's the problem?" Bellamy asked.

Clarke sat in front of them and showed them the map. "We're here as far as I can tell. Mount Weather is here. We're twenty miles away from food and supplies. We need to get everyone together and start for Mount Weather."

"Why don't we send your buddy Wells?" Bell raised his eyebrow at her scowl. "I doubt the tortured him. Let the privileged do the heavy lifting for once."

"One person won't be able to bring back food for all of us. We all need to go." Clarke smiled when Twist and Hades nodded in agreement.

"Bell, she's right. We either need to all go or send a large party to scout ahead." Octavia hoped that if it came from her he'd agree.

"I'll ask around for volunteers," Murphy said as he stood up.

"I think the three of us should go while Bellamy stays here." Clarke dared Bellamy to disagree.

"Always up for an adventure!" Hades' smile was huge as she jumped to her feet. She pulled Clarke up. "You sure you're up for it?"

"I'll be fine. They took the cast off days ago." Clarke didn't want to think about her ankle. They'd broken it for no other reason than they could. And while it was still sore, she would not let that stop her. She was the only one that could read the map as far as she knew, so she had to get them there.

It'd taken Murphy five minutes to get twenty volunteers. Octavia and Bellamy told the rest of them to break down the drop ship, to scout for water and make stills.

Wells kept trying to talk to her while they hiked through radiation soaked forest, but she wouldn't even look at him. Most of the time she'd start an inane conversation with Twist or Hades or both. Earth was beautiful, but Clarke worried since she hadn't seen a single sign of animal or insect life. When they found life, it was a deformed deer and none of them were prepared to see it. One kid joked that they'd all grow a second head like the deer.

"We wouldn't. The radiation is going to kill us, or deform our offspring." Clarke ignored the stares she got and pointed onward. "We need to get moving."

The river they found was shallow enough to walk across, the water only waist deep, but they tried to catch fish first. But without a hook or line, they failed. Jasper was the first one on the other side and he crowed in delight when he found a sign that said Mount Weather, but his scream was cut short by a spear in the chest. Everyone screamed and Murphy had to pull Clarke away from trying to get Jasper. "He's dead, Vigri!"

Octavia grabbed Clarke's other arm, so she could help pull Vigri to the shore. "We need to get out of here."

The others had kept running, except Monty. He stood across the river from Jasper's body with a shocked stare aimed at his best friend's body. Clarke, Octavia, and Murphy stood with him, unwilling to leave him behind.

"There's almost no blood," Monty said.

"That's because his blood isn't pumping anymore." Clarke put a hand on Monty's shoulder. "We should go."

"No one's attacking us anymore." Twist tossed a rock in the river. "I don't think we have to worry about getting killed so long as we don't cross the river."

"It's a boundary of some sort then." Clarke sighed as she sat down with a squish. "We'll go when Monty's ready to go."

The others sat with her. They sat there until dark, and then they slept there curled against each other for warmth.


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning, Clarke tied her white t-shirt to a stick and waved. "We're just getting the body!"

Her and her pen pals waded across the river and retrieved Jasper's body without incident. However, in the trees and along the shore were people. This differed from the abstract knowledge of there being survivors on Earth, seeing so many of them gave Vigri both hope and a sinking worry.

When they got Jasper's body to Monty, Octavia tapped her thigh in rhythmic spurts. Her eyes darted side to side. Murphy and Clarke were doing the same. Monty had never seen this kind of behavior. "Are you guys okay?"

Their tapping turned to loud slapping and Monty could see them getting ready to fight. They crouched, and balanced their stance, like they did in the movies. But this looked a bit different, like it would be more effective.

"Clarke? Octavia? Murphy? I know they killed Jasper, but we're outnumbered here. I think we should either try to leave or talk to them." Monty swallowed as the natives closed ranks around their little group.

Vigri stopped her slapping and stood up straight. "Do you understand me?"

One warrior stepped forward. "I do."

"We're sorry we crossed the river. We didn't know it was a boundary. It won't happen again."

"Why do you invade our lands?" she asked.

"We're from space. And our people stranded us here," Octavia said.

"We didn't know there were survivors." Murphy twitched as he stood taller but still ready to fight.

"So this is not an invasion then? In that case what do you offer for granting you safe harbor?"

"I was trained as a doctor," Clarke offered.

"We have healers."

"I can sew better than anyone on the Ark," Octavia said.

"We have tailors."

Murphy smirked. "There's always room for more healers and skilled workers. I can work metal, and Monty here knows a lot about gardens and machinery."

"What's a garden?" The woman asked as she circled them.

It took a moment for Monty to find his voice. "It's where you grow fruits, vegetables, and herbs."

"You know how to grow food?"

Monty nodded as he prayed he remembered enough of what his parents taught him before he got locked up. "Yes."

"Why did you kill Jasper? You could have just warned us not to cross the river." Clarke wouldn't trust these people just yet.

"You talk like Mountain Men. We thought you were the enemy. But as a show of good faith we'll bear the burden of this death."

"What does that mean?" Twist asked.

"It means you can take your pound of flesh."

Murphy opened his mouth only to get cut off by Clarke. "We don't want vengeance or violence, we've had enough of that. All we want is to survive and make a life for ourselves on Earth. If we show you how to grow food, and teach you what we know, will you teach us how to survive down here?"

"My name is Anya."

"I'm Clarke, this is Octavia, Murphy, and Monty."

"I like her." Anya pointed at Octavia. "She'll be your liaison. And you can prove your good intentions by calling off your people. They were getting ready for war last my scouts told me. We'll talk about absorbing your people if you prove useful, and loyal to me." She said something to the man behind her in a language Clarke didn't recognize. But it appeared Hades had an idea.

"It's really slurred convoluted English," she whispered to Clarke and Murphy.

With that, Clarke picked up words here and there. Guard, carry, heads, and she wanted to know what the hell juice meant because she didn't think they meant the old time beverage.

"This is Lincoln, he's one of my seconds and his gonakru will escort you back to your crash site. They'll carry your dead. Don't expect him to talk a lot, but he understands your language." She turned to Lincoln. "Osir na set raun na kom sheidgeda, den frag emo op taim emo natrona."

"This should be loads of fun," Murphy said under his breath.

"We need to learn their language," Octavia whispered. "Pay attention. We'll compare notes when we're alone again."

"I swear they sound like my mom after a bender of booze and old high school movies." Twist's sarcasm meant they'd hit a nerve. Vigri and Hades knew he meant it as sort of a key to what they were hearing. It helped, but there were words that had to have been purposeful delineations from English.

Monty didn't want to give Jasper's body to these people, but did out of fear. "Be careful with him."

The natives flanked them on all sides as they walked back to camp at a brisk pace. No one talked though, frustrating the threesome's determination to understand them.

Just outside camp, Lincoln stopped. "We'll be out here waiting for word. If you don't succeed and return before nightfall, your safe passage will be denied. In the meantime, we'll build a pyre for your friend."

"It's better than being sucked out an airlock." Murphy's snark didn't sit well with Monty at first.

A moment later Monty nodded. "Cremation is better than that." He looked at Jasper's graying face. "Can I stay with him?"

"Yes."

Clarke, Octavia, and Murphy hugged Monty and then walked into camp with five words. "Hades should break the news."

When Bellamy saw his sister, he scooped her into a desperate hug. "I thought you were dead."

Octavia shook her head. "No, they killed Jasper by mistake. They thought we were their enemies. People they call the Mountain Men. They probably live on Mount Weather. But we talked to their leader, and we can earn our safety, and learn how to survive down here if we help them and prove ourselves loyal."

"How are you so calm? They killed Jasper, and Monty's missing still. You don't really think you can trust them do you?"

Murphy stepped between Bell and O, protecting her. "Hey man, Monty's right outside. He's sitting with Jasper while the Grounders build a pyre or whatever for him. If Hades and Vigri agree that a truce with them is our best chance at survival, I have to say I'm with them."

"You need to calm everyone down, Bellamy, or they'll annihilate us." Clarke left no room for argument. "Even if we had a stockpile of weapons, we're massively outnumbered and this is their home. They know it better than we could ever hope to."

"Whatever you say, Princess."

Octavia punched her brother square in the face. "Do you know what tinnitus is?"

Bellamy wiped the blood off his lip as he shook his head.

Twist shoved Bellamy. "It's this high pitch ringing in your ears that never goes away, and if you don't stop being an ass, we'll make sure you experience it first hand. This is your second warning. You won't get another one."

The threesome sat on the third floor of the drop ship. Vigri worried about the other two. Would they make good on the threats? "Hades, I can't believe you threatened tinnitus. More kids killed themselves from that than anything else in lock up."

"Bell doesn't know that, but he'll get the idea if he's an ass to you again." Hades sighed. "We have bigger problems right now. Not only do we need to learn how to live down here, but with the Grounders, and what to do about the Ark. They've got to know we aren't dying from radiation poison by now."

"Not only will they want to take over, but they might screw up any truce we make." Twist snarled. "Good for nothing bastards."

"I have no love for the Guard, the Counsel, or the Chancellor," Vigri said, "but the workers and children are innocent and we can't forget that. So maybe we can overthrow the government when they get down here. We have at least a month to get the Grounders on our side. Any kid here will be on our side."

"There are some guards I'd like to teach a lesson to, but what we need to worry about even more is who will be in charge if we do pull it off."

"We've got a month to figure that out."


	5. Chapter 5

"Bellamy thinks he's in charge," Murphy said with a sneer as the three of them watched Bellamy come out of his parachute tent with a girl and tell Wells how there were no rules down here.

"He told me he did something terrible to get on the ship. Something they would kill him for when they get down here." Hades sounded sad and pissed off at the same time.

"He came down for you. But we need to know what he did. It could derail our plans." Clarke watched as Wells threw down some clothes and stormed off. "Wells might be of some use though. We need him on our side. His relationship with the Chancellor could prove useful."

"Well he came down for you, didn't he?" Octavia asked.

"He did."

"Let's use those two and their loyalty to our advantage then." Twist shredded a leaf. "In the meantime we have another funeral to prepare."

"Funerals were always bittersweet in the Skybox. We got out of solitary confinement for a little while, but it was only because someone died." Clarke sighed as she followed Murphy to where the Grounders waited with another pyre built.

"Lincoln." Octavia said as she passed him. Clarke could see his eyes on Hades, but decided to wait and see what happened with him rather than say anything. Twist quirked his eyebrow at Clarke, having noticed the same thing and come to the same decision.

The three of them moved around Anya. "Thanks for the heads up about the acid fog, could have used that a bit sooner though." Twist's backhanded appreciation didn't phase Anya.

"It's always been so, and we didn't even think to warn you until it was too late for some of your people."

"We understand, don't we?" Octavia said with a pointed look at Murphy.

"Yeah, we do." Clarke joined in Octavia's glaring at Twist.

He nodded. "We get it. Sorry."

"You should move outside the veil's reach." Anya nodded to one of her soldiers. "We can provide you with shelter."

"I know my brother's been stubborn, but with these deaths, I think I can get him to see reason." Octavia left to talk to Bellamy.

"If her brother keeps interfering with our truce, I won't be able to keep it."

Murphy glanced at Clarke who nodded. "We understand. We'll take care of it."

"Let my people prepare the pyre, so you can do what you must. If you need any assistance, Tris will be at your disposal." Anya pointed at a girl no more than fourteen. She looked fierce though.

"We'll let her know if we need her help." Twist cocked his head to the side.

"The two of us need to talk this over." Clarke and Murphy walked off.

"Twist, Hades will never forgive us. But hopefully he'll listen to reason."

"Dream on."

"We need to find a way to get the gun off him."

"One of us can seduce him." Murphy shrugged. "He doesn't seem to have a preference."

"And here I thought I'd retired from being a sex worker."

"I'll do it."

"How about we both send signals and see which one he picks?"

"Makes sense. But we're not in a position to be subtle. We need to get this done, now."

"I don't understand why his inhibitor isn't working." Clarke said as they walked back to join the others.

"He was a cadet at one point. They probably stopped giving it to him back then."

"Probably. And Twist, we're not betting on this."

"How'd you know I was going to suggest that?"

"Because I know you." She grasped his hand for a moment as they neared Bellamy and Octavia.

Hades hissed her anger at her brother. "You're going to get us all killed."

"I've got a plan, O," Bellamy said.

As she passed her pen pals, Octavia grumbled about a need to be alone.

"On second thought, I'll take that bet," Clarke said just loud enough for Bellamy to hear and with no one else around her spur of the moment plan began. "If I get Bellamy in bed first, you have to do my chores for a week and vice versa?"

"You're on, Vigri." Twist shook Clarke's hand.

Bellamy tossed his arms around their necks. "There's plenty of me to go around."

"Not your tent," Clarke said, "I don't want your sister seeing us leaving it."

"How about that place we found?" Twist asked as he caught Vigri's eyes.

"Sounds perfect." Clarke and Twist each pulled on one of Bellamy's arms and led him as far away from camp as they could.

* * *

During the funeral pyre, Octavia sat between Clarke and Murphy wondering what happened to her brother. She'd asked everyone but no one had any idea. Vigri chewed the inside of her cheek and stared at the middle distance, and Twist was too quiet. She took some comfort in her friends being as worried about her brother as she was. They sat through the fire until it died.

As the three of them got up, Tris approached them. When she stood in front of them, she said, "Octavia of the Sky People, I take no pleasure telling you this. We found your brother during the hunt. He'd been mauled by a panther. His wounds were too extensive. He's dead. I'm sorry. Your people shouldn't stay out here for your own safety. The Sky held none of our dangers, but we can protect you if you join our village. What say you?"

Octavia couldn't form words. Tears welled as she collapsed onto Clarke. Murphy spoke for them. "We'll arrange it in the morning. At least give her tonight."

Tris bowed and walked back to Anya to deliver the news.

Later, when the camp was quiet and the only sounds were crickets and owls, Anya found Clarke far from the others, picking the bones out of the ashes. "I read that this was a tradition somewhere. Bone Picking. I don't have chopsticks though."

"Octavia is too soft to make the tough decisions. Murphy is too cold. Octavia will be someone who makes a good leader in the eyes of the common, but you make the hard choices, and Murphy can follow through with those without mercy. Between you I see a great triumvirate. Tris will see to the welfare of your people, but the three of you need to come with me to Polis. It's time to assign a new commander and the three of you show the signs."


	6. Chapter 6

The trip to Polis was long and saw to the three pen pals learning to ride horses more or less. Clarke took to it best, and Octavia did well enough. Murphy had to ride with Clarke though since his skills weren't enough for such a long haul. They'd left Miller in charge of the other Sky People in their absence. They were all Grounders now, and so needed to follow their customs, including the ritual of assigning a new commander. During the trip, Anya also made sure they learned Trigedasleng, again more or less. Octavia picked it up the fastest, but Clarke and Murphy weren't far behind. By the time they reached the outskirts of Polis, they talked only in Trigedasleng.

Hades was withdrawn and melancholy if the other two didn't keep her distracted from her grief. Twist in particular felt the need to cheer her up. They had known each other the longest, and he always knew what to say to her to get her smiling. Clarke wished they could have let her grieve in whatever way she chose, but the immediacy of the dangers they faced meant they had to keep moving at all times.

Their first glimpse of Polis made the Trigedaskru villages they passed through look alien. This city had solar powered everything. They had lights and automobiles, and the old building foundations from before the war were made into the foundations of new buildings, some several stories high. They had plumbing and sanitized eateries.

"This reminds of a style of fiction I read when I was a child," Vigri breathed. "Steampunk became Solarpunk."

Anya dismounted her horse, and the others followed her lead, tying the reins to a metal post. "Follow me to the Emperor's quarters. She'll want to meet you at once. This is the longest we've ever gone without a commander, and Luna will be eager to see if you three are the commander incarnate."

"Anya can you give us a moment in private to talk about something?" Octavia asked.

"I'll be right over here, but don't take long."

Octavia nodded and then turned to Clarke and Murphy. "I wanted to thank you for keeping my spirits up. I think, no, I feel that Bellamy got too full of himself and wanting to be a leader. And that while I will always miss him, his death may have saved us all. And I need you to tell me the truth. Before we left, Harper told me that Bellamy was last seen alive with the two of you. What were you doing with him?"

"We wanted to convince him to see reason," Clarke said. "Or seduce him into seeing it. We failed at both."

Murphy knew that they had to tell the truth or the rest of them were doomed. "He was going to get everyone killed. And he didn't care if the rest of the Ark died. The panther mauled him after he was already dead."

Vigri grasped Hades hand. "We made it quick and painless."

Seeing the truth and necessity of Bellamy's death, Octavia squeezed Vigri's hand and grabbed Twist's. "I don't blame you. I blame the Chancellor and the Counsel. They put us in this situation."

The road while still dirt was well kept, and it made it an easy walk to the Emperor's home, the tallest building in the city with decorative colored windows and metal work. Anya whispered something to the guard who then allowed them entrance. The interior had walls covered in brocades and tapestries. Lush pillows were piled against most of the walls. A throne made of swords, arrows, sickles and scythes with luxurious fabrics woven through dominated the hall.

In the corner Anya pulled long chains that rang bells in a hypnotizing tune. Not a second after she finished then a woman that had to be the Emperor entered the hall followed by several guards.

Anya knelt and bowed before her as she sat on the throne. "Emperor Luna, I believe I have found the new commander."

Luna, dressed in chain-mail and silk, said, "Rise and tell me the signs."

"While they may be Skaikru, they show great wisdom in how they lead their people. I found Clarke picking the bones of her fallen wishing for the sticks to do it proper. Octavia's compassion commands respect. And Murphy can enforce even the harshest of punishments. They put the lives of their people above their own wants and needs, and work together as if branches of the same tree." Anya turned toward the three commander candidates. "Octavia allowed her own brother to be killed to ensure the survival of her people. Clarke and Murphy saw that he did not suffer despite his hubris."

"Bring the weapons!" Luna called. Seconds later a table was carried out and set before the three Skaikru. There were a myriad swords, knives, maces, flails, bows, arrows, crossbows and bolts. "Each of you pick one."

Without hesitation, Octavia grabbed the stout machete, Clarke chose the oak crossbow and bolts, while Murphy picked up the flail with the spiraling blade around the ball.

Her eyes widened briefly, but Luna appeared impressed. "They chose well. Anya, guards, leave us. The rest of the test must be conducted in private."

Hades, Vigri, and Twist did not understand what they did to pass the first test, but none of them let that ignorance show.

Emperor Luna stood and motioned them to follow her into a room behind the throne. "I need to ask you a few questions. But it's late and humid, let's bathe the sweat away."

The pool in the back room was lined with black marble, and the sconces surrounding it were reminiscent of the Victorian era. Luna slipped out of her clothes with ease and grace, making the three feel clumsy in comparison. Naked and exposed they followed the tattooed Emperor into the pool. The water was pleasantly cool, and they were happy to slip their heads under never having been submersed in water before. They smiled and laughed at this new sensation.

"Our apologies, Emperor, but in space water was scarce." Vigri grabbed Twists roaming hands before they got far. Out of the corner of her mouth she scolded him, "Not now."

Octavia glided between Murphy and Clarke. "Please, Emperor Luna, ask us whatever questions you want. We'll answer honestly."

"Down to business, just like my Lexa had been. But also sensual, like she had been too. I see why Anya brought you. The three of you combined may make up the commanders that came before." Luna leaned back into the water and floated. "Answer me this: if you have an alliance to fight a great foe, what would make you break it?"

"Nothing," Octavia and Clarke answered. Murphy smirked and replied, "You don't break it, and you kill anyone who tries to."

Luna's smile was broad showing off white teeth against her dark skin. "Now, what would make you sacrifice one of the three of you?"

"If one of us goes, we all do," Twist said, and the women nodded. "He's right."

"But what if at least one of you needs to survive so your people do?" Luna asked turning away from them and slicing through the water to the far wall.

Clarke waded over to the Emperor. "Then we'd decide which of us had the skill-set our people need, get them to safety, then die. But we could never live long without the three of us together. We'd die of broken hearts if we tried."

"Last questions, one for each of you. Who heals the sick? Who is the iron fist? And who is the heart?"

"I heal the sick and injured," Clarke said.

"I'm the iron fist easy," Murphy said.

And Octavia's heart fluttered as she said, "And I'm the heart that beats fierce and free."

"If you'll excuse me Hedathri, I believe you need to be alone. Stay here as long as you like, and I'll have my seconds make up a room for you." Luna climbed steps out of the pool and wrapped herself in a sheet. "I bid the new Hedathri good-night. We'll present you to the people at dawn."

When they were alone, Octavia laughed. "I think we became rulers."

"I think the only person more powerful for a long distance is the Emperor," Clarke said.

Murphy slipped behind Octavia and kissed her neck before resting his chin on her shoulder. "I say we celebrate."

"I'm with Twist on this one," Vigri said then kissed Hades soft at first then with more and more passion, her fingers lacing with Twists.

Later when the other two were sleeping at her sides, Octavia cried for her brother, her excitement over becoming one of the Hedathri gone. Why did his death have to be the price of saving the rest of the Skybox kids? And why did the only people she couldn't live without have to be the ones that killed him?


	7. Chapter 7

The sky lightened ever so slightly, Octavia nudged the other two until Twist opened his eyes and Vigri sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"They'll be coming to get us soon. We should dress." Octavia said.

Clarke's eyes widened when she saw the array of clothes laid out for them. "These are exquisite."

"We'll be styling." Twist picked up a leather dress. "Is this me?"

"Actually it might be," Octavia said as she held it up to his shoulders.

Murphy put the short dress on while Vigri donned a silk dress under a chain-mail one. Hades stepped into a pair of leather pants and pulled a faded shirt over her head and then added rubber armor and a purple velvet sash. They spent some time braiding each other's hair and applying war paint. With the final touch being leather and metal boots, they were ready to be shown as the commanders to the tree people.

The door opened, and the Emperor walked in without guards. Her smile though slight was appreciative. "It's as though you've lived here your entire lives."

"It just felt right." Hades nodded at the other two when they made noises of agreement.

"It's been pointed out that the three of you have never been tested in battle and were never anyone's second. So before I can introduce you to the clan leaders and other commanders, you must run a gauntlet. Do you think you're up to the task?"

Murphy stepped forward, smirk on his face. "Oh yeah, we got this."

The Emperor cocked her head to the side. "I'm sure you do. Follow me."

The three of them followed the Emperor through the halls, down two sets the stairs, and into the first chamber they met the Emperor in now filled with warriors and an obstacle course. Without a single word being spoken, a young woman handed the three of them wooden swords. When Luna raised her hands complete silence fell, and all eyes were on her.

"The challenge has been set and accepted. The new commander will only be so if they can make it out the front door. Let the games begin." Emperor Luna clapped her hands and the threesome working in time, both defended and attacked as they pushed forward through a thick of combatants. The first hurdle wasn't easy, but it was a rush for all of them. Murphy did the most offense, cutting a swath and making it easy for the other two to defend and attack when needed.

The rock-climbing wall proved no challenge. The history of being in solitary meant that three of them on their own exercised often to pass time. They were at the top before any of the challengers touched the wall. That head start allowed them to figure out the ropes of getting down the other side. Octavia was on the ground first defending that position tall while the other two to get to the ground. Clarke had to catch Murphy when his rope was cut by a challenger at the top of the wall.

One last obstacle and they would be out the door, but there was cavalcade of warriors between them and their goal.

"This should be fun. The three of us with our tinnitus trying to balance while fighting our way across a beam, what could go wrong?" Murphy's laugh was derisive. And Clarke and Octavia shared that laugh with him a moment later.

Vigri took point and cleared the way since her tinnitus wasn't as bad as the other two's. She found it best to slap the hands of her opponents with her wooden sword not only knocking their weapons away but stunning them into inaction long enough for Hades to pass unharmed. Twist got through easy enough. But their trek across the beam was arduous, taking the longest of the obstacles.

With only two feet left to go, someone got in a lucky shot knocking Clarke's feet out from under her. Her sword fell so she could catch herself. Landing on her backside, she let herself roll back before pushing herself forward taking Octavia sword on the way back up to her feet.

After jumping off the end of the beam, the attacks stopped for Clarke so she tossed the sword back up to Hades. In less than a breath Octavia jumped down next Clarke followed another breath later by Murphy. They were out the door and officially the new commander of the Trigedaskru.

"A few bruises but not a drop of blood." Emperor Luna smiled at them before looking over the crowd. "Does anyone deny them?"

When they were met with a hush, Emperor Luna raised her staff and yelled. The crowd followed suit. The din echoed through Polis until Luna raised hands came down slowly. When the crowd was quiet again, she said, "I believe we will finally see an end to the Mountain's shadow. Let us celebrate with feast and dance the coming of the Gods that will set our tree bound brothers and sisters free!"

The threesome didn't smile or even share a glance. They raised their hands, and the crowd cheered.

At the feast, Hades, Vigri, and Twist sat at the head of the table, eating food they never thought they would. Tart berries, savory meats, crisp salads, with rich wine was relished. They listened to the court's laureate tell stories of past battles won, the rise and fall of emperors past, and the prophecy of the return of Gods that would prove themselves by killing the Mountain and bringing peace for the first time.

Luna escorted them back to their room upstairs. "Is there anything you need before you leave?"

Hades nodded. "Do you have electronic communication abilities?"

"Both short and long distance, but the Trigedaskru are not part of the network. You won't be able to talk to your people until you see them again. The Mountain kills the signal."

Vigri said, "We want to talk to the people still in space, not the ones on the ground already. They need to know it's safe to follow us down, and that we've been welcomed here."

"Anya can take you to the communication center in the morning. Once you've contacted the rest of the Skaikru, you must leave at once for TonDC. We're counting on you to destroy the Mountain Men. Do not make me spill the blood of Gods."

Before Twist could mouth off, Hades scowled at him. "Thank you, Emperor Luna for the honor of this task."

Murphy sneered, "Yeah, thanks."

When the door closed, Clarke and Octavia punched John's shoulders. "Don't be an idiot."

"Are you trying to get us killed?"

"Relax, I don't think they know what sarcasm is." Murphy plopped onto the bed, his dress riding up his thighs showing off bruises from the gauntlet.

O unfastened her armor and let it fall to the floor. "I just want to get some sleep."

Clarke slipped out of her chain-mail and boots. "Sleep sounds perfect."

In no time they were all fast asleep a tangle of arms and legs.


	8. Chapter 8

The sound of bells woke them up. Murphy groaned loudly, and he untangled himself from Hades and Vigri. "Why is the morning after a beating always worse?"

Clarke rubbed the sand out of her eyes. "I could explain but why bother? It wouldn't change anything."

Octavia was the only one of the three of them that bounced out of bed, energized and ready to face the day. "It's a beautiful morning! But I'm starving. Let's hurry and get dressed so we can get food."

They dressed as they had the day before sans warpaint. Clarke and Murphy were bleary-eyed and slow, no matter how Octavia goaded them to hurry. "Smell that? That's more real food! No shitty rations or inedible meat. I never knew a watering mouth was a literal thing."

"Says the heart that beats fierce and free." Murphy laughed when Octavia punched him in the shoulder.

"I read it in a book."

Vigri leaned in close to Hades. "I don't think they noticed."

"Let's go eat then call the assholes still in space." Twist pulled the women out the door and down to the main hall where a lavish morning banquet was set up.

After gorging themselves on food they had no names for, Anya led them to the communication tower. "Do you know the frequency you need?"

"Ah, Monty told me before we left." Clarke dialed it into the panel and then used the handset. "Ark Station, this is Clarke Griffin, do you read me?" No response. "Ark Station this is Clarke Griffin, do you read me?"

"This is Ark Station. Hold for the Chancellor."

The three delinquents held their breath until they heard Thelonous' voice come over the line. "This is Chancellor Jaha, who is this?"

"Chancellor, it's Clarke Griffin. We're safe and we have news."

"Clarke?" His sigh of relief was clear on the line. "You say you're safe, but this isn't the channel for the dropship."

"There are other survivors here. It's safe to come down. We've made peace with the grounders and command the tree people. It's time to come home."

"We'll be seeing you all within a month. Chancellor Jaha, out."

Vigri turned to the others and continued to speak in English. "Now we have to make sure that we stay in control. We need to keep the grounders on our side or I know they'll try to take over when they get here."

Anya listened carefully. "Why would they try to take control from their own?"

Octavia sighed and told the whole truth. "Everyone on the dropship was a criminal in the eyes of the Ark. Arrested and imprisoned for crimes such as eating more food than allotted or telling the citizens that the Ark was dying and we needed to find a solution together. There were some bad people there too, but the three of us were guilty of trying to survive."

"So they sent you down because if you didn't survive it wouldn't hurt their supposedly righteous citizens? Is that why you are all children?" Anya asked.

"If an adult committed a crime they were executed." Murphy sneered. "I'm only on board with the Ark coming down because there are innocent children on board."

"I see. I'll see that you remain in power and so will the Emperor. It's like you're the old gods come home. Everyone in Polis is in awe of the three of you. You'll have little trouble with your new people." Anya led them back outside. "But now we have to return to the forest and plan the downfall of the Mountain."

"Tell us everything about the Mountain." Octavia walked alongside Anya while Clarke and Murphy walked right behind them.

* * *

By the time they made it back to TonDC, the four of them had a plan on how to attack the Mountain. Clarke wasn't as sure as Anya was about their place among the trigedaskru, but knew if they took out the threat of the Mountain Men, they would definitely ensure their position.

They rode into TonDC to the cheers of all the people, skaikru and trigedaskru alike. The dropship kids were especially loud and happy while the rest were ready for war. The commanders roared back, weapons raised as they circled in the middle of the village.

The kids from the sky box were shocked into silence until they got swept up into it and roared as well. When the chanting started, it didn't take long for everyone within range to chant too. "Blood must have blood! Jus drein jus daun!"

When the three commanders stopped the crowd silenced, to await the new regime's first command.

Octavia stepped off her horse onto a platform followed by Clarke and Murphy. They wore their warpaint and armor and carried weapons that were wickedly lethal in appearance and practice, sending chills down the spines of the other skaikru. Twist and Vigri sat in their thrones while Octavia addressed the crowd. "The Mountain will fall!"

The crowd roared their approval then silenced again.

"We will turn the Reapers back into men!"

Another roar of agreement.

"We will bring them to their knees! Until they bow to those they treated like refuse! And we will do this within a fortnight!"

The yelling was feverpitched now, and the three commanders screamed in return. When the volume lowered to the point she could be heard, Anya ordered the warriors to catch as many Reapers as they could. "Now!"

She turned to Octavia and said, "I hope you know what you promised."

"I know exactly what I promised. And we can do it. Have faith Anya. You were just as much a part of planning the attack as I was." Octavia smiled and grabbed Anya's forearm then pulled her into a hug.

"You know if you succeed, you'll be up for Emperor."

"But only if Luna dies or steps down."

"She'll step down. If you can kill the Mountain then she'll assume you powerful enough to beat ALIE. Both have been like spectres of death over our people. And the skaikru is the first hope we've had in many years of rising above." Anya whispered in Octavia's ear, "And there are some even among your subjects that will want to subvert you."

"That's anyone in power. There is no way to please everyone." Octavia refused to have her mood soured. "Cheer up, Anya. We'll either succeed or you'll get to do a ritual sacrifice."

Anya's face finally split into a cruel grin. "That would be something now wouldn't it?"

Clarke gazed into the crowd and found all the skaikru clumped together, and there were two faces missing. She shoved through the crowd and turned Miller to face her. "Where are Wells and Charlotte?"

Miller frowned. "I'm sorry, Clarke. Charlotte killed Wells, and the trigedaskru executed her."

"I see." Clarke's expression hardened. "Are there any ashes left?"

He reached into his pocket and handed her a leather pouch. "I saved this for you. And I should tell you that Wells didn't betray you. Your mother did. He didn't want you to hate your mother. It was the last thing he said."

"Thank you, Nathan." Clarke put the pouch in her pocket and returned to her fellow commanders. "I'm going to set up the bunker for when the Reapers get here. I'll die before I let this fail."

"We'll help you, Vigri." Twist touched her arm, and Hades squeezed her hand. "It's the three of us forever, right?"

Vigri nodded and then turned toward the bomb shelter that they would use to cure the Reapers. She needed to concentrate on anything other than Wells and her mother.


End file.
